In this extraordinary new fantasy epic, bestselling author Robert Stanek returns readers to the fantasy universe of Ruin Mist, where the fate of a hundred worlds rests on the shoulders of an Alvish boy born into bondage... For thousands of years the ageless masters have ruled the hundred worlds, conquering all who oppose them while raising those who bring them glory. But in remote Karthold, the boy Rast?n struggles to keep alive the memories of his fallen people and fulfill the wishes of his ailing father. For an Alv he is young; he has no great power to help him, no true magic to light his way and keep him safe. Yet as his life turns increasingly grim, he must find the courage and resourcefulness to befriend his most savage enemies if there is to be hope for him and his people.